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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23571148">I know I'll be alright (but I'm not tonight)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/mycoffeeaddiction/pseuds/mycoffeeaddiction'>mycoffeeaddiction</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Riverdale (TV 2017)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>4x11 rewrite, Angst, Betty Cooper Needs a Hug, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Jughead is the best boyfriend, Mentioned Charles Smith, Mentioned Hal Cooper, PERIODT, Protective Jughead Jones, Soft Jughead Jones, because jughead should have been there, supportive Jughead, we hate hal</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:26:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,057</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23571148</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/mycoffeeaddiction/pseuds/mycoffeeaddiction</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Rewrite of 4x11 when Betty destroys Hal's grave. Instead of Alice, its Jughead who saves her.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>52</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I know I'll be alright (but I'm not tonight)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I haven't written anything in a long time, but I really wanted to read this, but I couldn't find one, so I wrote it. Its probably not very good but it was therapeutic so oh well.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Betty doesn’t let things get to her this much. Anymore.</p><p>She hasn’t felt this angry since maybe back in sophomore year with Chuck in the hot tub. She thought she was past this anger and darkness.</p><p>She knows that even though she is mad at her dad, her reaction to this is her bubbling sadness and disappointment of not getting into her dream school. The school she was going to move to with the love of her life, to get out of this godforsaken town, a place where nobody knew her, or her father.</p><p>But no, he ruined that too. Her best chance of leaving this town and never looking back, and he had managed to stop her doing that, even rotting in the ground.</p><p>She tightens her grip on the hammer in her hand. Subconsciously she knows that doing this isn’t going to make her feel better, or change anything, but she knows she has to do it.</p><p>The smashing of the stone doesn’t make her feel better, but she continues, screaming out her pain as she did.</p><p>She was tired of letting him control her life. The best part of the last two years she had lived in fear of him, and now he is still ruining her future from the grave.</p><p>The stone tumbles at her feet as she drops the hammer, feeling her body numb. Wow, she really was crazy. Breaking down in a cemetery, good one betty. </p><p>She falls to the ground, sobs racking her body, wishing her life was different, wishing she was anywhere but here.</p><p>“Betty! Betts!” Jughead. He had come for her. She tries to call back but it comes out shaky and small. Its all she can manage right now.</p><p>Before the next sob can even rip through her body, he is kneeling down in front of her, wrapping his arms around her shaking frame, the comforting reassurance of his arms around her, instantly relaxing her.</p><p>“Shh, Betts. Its okay, its all gonna be okay, I promise.” </p><p>He doesn’t say anything else. He doesn’t need to, his presence is enough.</p><p>After a while, Betty’s sobs have turned to small sniffles as she looks up at Jughead.</p><p>“How did you know where to find me?”</p><p>“Charles told me what Yale said. I had a lucky guess. Good job I know you so well.” Betty lets out a small laugh but feels the numbness begin to overtake her body. It always happens after a breakdown, her body shuts down and she feels like she is going through the motions.</p><p>“Come on, lets get you home.” </p><p>He helps her up, letting her lean all of her weight onto him and walking her back to the side of the road where he had parked his bike.</p><p>“Are you gonna be okay on this?”</p><p>Betty just nods her head in agreement, not being able to bring herself to talk.</p><p>“Are you sure, Betts? I can always go and quickly get my dad’s truck.”</p><p>She steps forward and grabs Jughead’s helmet to show him that she’s fine, even though its clear to both of them that she isn’t. </p><p>Jughead helps her onto the bike before quickly climbing on in front of her. She places her arms around Jughead’s waist and he doesn’t hesitate before speeding off into the night.</p><p>Neither of them say a word on the journey, but Jughead is constantly aware of Betty’s iron grip around him - even tighter than usual. Her head rests on his back and he knows that she is fighting the urge to curl her nails into her palms. With that thought he increases his speed further, just wanting to have Betty at home, safe.</p><p> </p><p>**********************</p><p> </p><p>As soon as their bedroom door is shut behind them, Betty collapses into Jughead’s arms. Her eyes are glossy with tears, but not having the energy to let them fall.</p><p>Jughead walks her over to their bed, and sits down next to her. She can feel all of her emotions coming to the surface, ready to spill at any moment. She picks at her nails in order to keep from plunging her nails into the surface of her palms. Jughead notices this small action, because of course he does, and takes both of Betty’s hands in his own, pressing a soft kiss to each.</p><p>“I’m so sorry, Jug. I-I don’t know what came over me. I-I, oh Jug, I’m so stup-“</p><p>“Betts, don’t you dare finish that sentence. You are not stupid, you are the smartest person I know.”</p><p>“But Jug I-“</p><p>“No, Betty, you have nothing to apologise for.”</p><p>“But Jug, I just spiralled in a cemetery. God you must be so embarrassed to be with me.”</p><p>“Embarrassed?! Betts, the fact that I am with you, still amazes me every day. I could never be embarrassed of you.”</p><p>“But Jug, I just destroyed a grave.”</p><p>“You had a human reaction to something that is completely out of your control.”</p><p>“I’m not very strong am I? Not getting accepted into a school takes me to a full-on breakdown.”</p><p>“Betty, you are the strongest person I know. You have been to hell and back thousands of times over the past few years, and have dealt with so many things, that most adults wouldn’t be able to handle. And even after all of that, you have come out of it kind-hearted and loving. You have dealt with so much lately, and after everything your father has put you through, you deserve to go to your dream school. You reacted badly to not getting in because of the reason. You and I both know that you would should be first on their list of acceptances, if they had any sort of brain.”</p><p>“How do you always know just what to say?”</p><p>“I think many would disagree with you on that one, Betts.”</p><p>“I don’t deserve you.”</p><p>“You do. You deserve everything in this world that you have, and so much more. Don’t let your father, or Yale, tell you any different.”</p><p>“I love you, Jughead Jones.”<br/>
“Eh, I guess you’re alright too.”</p><p>He presses a soft kiss to her forehead, before moving them both under the covers. Jughead wraps his arms around her and pulls her close. He presses soft kisses into her hair until she falls asleep.</p><p>“I love you, Betty Cooper. So damn much.”</p>
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